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This photo provided by Jennifer Foster shows New York City Police Officer Larry DePrimo presenting a barefoot homeless man in New York's Time Square with boots Nov. 14, 2012 . Foster was visiting New York with her boyfriend on Nov. 14, when she came across the shoeless man asking for change in Times Square. As she was about to approach him, she said the officer came up to the man with a pair of all-weather boots and thermal socks on the frigid night. She took the picture on her cellphone. It was posted Tuesday night to the NYPD's official Facebook page and became an instant hit. More than 350,000 users "liked" it as of Thursday afternoon, and over 100,000 shared it. (AP Photo/Jennifer Foster)

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York City homeless man- whose gift of boots from an NYPD police officer became an online sensation- is back on the streets with no shoes.

The New York Times ( http://nyti.ms/UjCGbY) found him Sunday night wandering barefoot in Manhattan. The paper identified him as Jeffrey Hillman, formerly of South Plainfield, N.J.

Asked about the $100 all-weather boots Officer Larry DePrimo gave him on Nov. 14, Hillman says he's hidden them because "they are worth a lot of money."

He says he's grateful for the gift, but he wants "a piece of the pie" because the photo was posted online "without permission."

An Arizona tourist snapped the photo of the officer presenting new boots to Hillman. It went viral after it was posted on the NYPD's Facebook page.

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Information from: The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com


(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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  • Abuse
    wrote...
    Typical entitlement mentality
    December 3, 2012 7:19 am
    So he is given the whole pie and doesn't know what to do with it. Now he thinks everybody owes him something because of one beautiful act made public. How pathetic that an act of charity typically just creates another parasite. Mugshots are also posted online without the peoples consent. It's time to pull yourself up by the bootstraps you obviously didn't deserve in the first place.
  • Abuse
    2cents wrote...
    Yep
    December 3, 2012 7:42 am
    Many people need handouts. Many more are enabled by them.
  • Abuse
    wrote...
    so typical
    December 3, 2012 8:15 am
    give an inch and they think they are owed a mile. shows the difference in people. one person was willing to do what it takes to help and the other was willing to do anything to take and keep on taking. pitiful.
  • Abuse
    2cents wrote...
    Now, take this lesson . . .
    December 3, 2012 8:29 am
    . . . in diversity of human nature, and apply it to a nation of people offered no-questions-asked handouts.
  • Abuse
    Solitaire wrote...
    SAD
    December 3, 2012 8:51 am
    Sad... Sad.... Sad......so very Sad. I'm sure their was no money give to the police officer not the person behind the camera. I'm almost sure their is a lawyer involved somewhere in all of this though.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Not untypical behavior of our homeless veterans
    December 3, 2012 9:53 am
    who struggle on the streets with mental health issues and addiction. Those who sneer at our former serviceman because they think themselves superior to them have issues of their own.
  • Abuse
    redinsight wrote...
    Ungrateful...
    December 3, 2012 9:56 am
    SOB! You *know* he sold or traded the boots away...they were probably cutting into his begging profit as he didn't look quite so pathetic. He did have an impact, though...I will *never* give a street person another dime! And you know there will be a lawfirm ready to sign up with him...
  • Abuse
    Vete Ya wrote...
    I agree 100% redinsight
    December 3, 2012 10:32 am
    I stopped giving to the "homeless beggers" in the streets years ago when I saw a special that showed most of them are living in a home and begging because they don't want to work. When a guy with his dog answered his cell phone after I gave him a couple of bucks, I said that's it.
  • Abuse
    redinsight wrote...
    And not even homeless...
    December 4, 2012 11:45 am
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/jeffrey-hillman-homeless_n_2236965.html
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